The Charles River Wheelers launched its 2025 cycling season with an energetic Ride Leader Kickoff event hosted by John O'Dowd, VP of Rides in early April. The evening began with a lively cocktail hour where 30 dedicated ride leaders mingled, shared stories from past rides, and connected with fellow cycling enthusiasts before enjoying a delicious dinner together.
Following the meal, John presented an impressive review of the club's 2024 achievements, highlighting a grand total of 319 rides spread across various categories. These included 204 led/show & go rides, 74 women's/non-binary rides, and specialized offerings such as gravel rides, centuries, and adventure excursions.
John's presentation outlined CRW's organizational structure and introduced the Rides and Safety Committee members who coordinate the club's diverse ride programs. Attendees learned about exciting plans for 2025, including the Women's/Non-Binary Program with its regular rides and special themed events, the challenging DEVO Program featuring intense rides like the Monthly Mighty Squirrel Ride, and the Century Program with three major events scheduled throughout the season.
A special highlight was the introduction by Nina Siegel of the CRW Classics Ride Series, which will showcase historic club routes that represent the "best of the best" from the club's nearly 60-year history.
Important administrative updates included discussion of the club's new policy for maintaining ride leader status (requiring at least three led rides within a two-year period) and a recognition program rewarding the most active leaders. John provided practical tips for posting rides on the CRW website and emphasized the proper use of tags to ensure rides appear correctly on the club calendar.
The kickoff concluded with a focus on three strategic goals for 2025:
- Enhancing safety through dedicated clinics and educational opportunities, with a special emphasis on pedestrian awareness
- Fostering greater collaboration between ride leaders to provide more options for members
- Building community through increased socialization at pre- and post-ride gatherings
The evening ended with an enthusiastic Q&A session and expressions of appreciation for the volunteer ride leaders who form the backbone of the club's activities. With its combination of camaraderie, recognition, and practical information, the kickoff set a positive tone for what promises to be an exciting year of cycling with the Charles River Wheelers.
Club members: Becoming a ride leader is a great way to give back to CRW. Contact John O'Dowd at Rides-VP@crw.org to get started!
